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Jan. 11, 2008, 12:36PM
Police say man killed after robbing plainclothes officer

Associated Press

GRAND PRAIRIE — A man was shot and killed after robbing and getting into a gun battle with a man who turned out to be a plainclothes detective, authorities said.

The Grand Prairie detective, whose name was not released, had finished an undercover operation involving businesses selling alcohol to minors Thursday at about 11:20 p.m.

An armed man identified as Stephen T. Richards, 22, of Beaumont, approached the officer, unaware of who he was, said detective John Brimmer. Richards ordered him to place his wallet on top of the car and to lie face down on the seat, Brimmer said.

After the officer was able to grab his own gun and get out of the car, shots were exchanged between the two men, and Richards kept shooting as the detective chased him into a nearby motel breezeway, Brimmer said.

Although the detective ordered Richards to stop and drop his weapon, saying he was a police officer, the suspect ran toward a parked sport utility vehicle as the gunfire continued, Brimmer said. Then Richards ran around the corner of a building and confronted the detective, who fatally shot him.

Brimmer said police later found the detective's wallet in Richards' pocket.

A woman had driven Richards to the hotel in the SUV but fled during the gun battle and called police. It's unclear if the woman faces any charges. The SUV was reported stolen from Beaumont.

The officer will be placed on paid leave, but it does not appear that he violated any laws or department rules, Brimmer said.

It was the second police shooting in as many days in North Texas.

After Fort Worth police responded to a call about an apparent suicidal man Wednesday, Officer T.S. O'Brien fatally shot Clarence McNeill, 68, after he raised his gun, said Lt. Dan Draper. As officers went toward the porch to check on McNeill, another officer shot a dog that lunged at them, but the dog survived and was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic, Draper said.

The initial investigation shows that the shooting appeared justified, said Fort Worth police Lt. Paul Henderson.

kdom wrote:Good job Detective! Thanks for cleaning up the Gene pool... Based on the "put you wallet on the roof and lay face down" comment this story could very easily have been about a dead detective instad of a dead bad-guy.

Oh yeah, this part irks me... "A woman had driven Richards to the hotel in the SUV but fled during the gun battle and called police. It's unclear if the woman faces any charges. The SUV was reported stolen from Beaumont." If she's driving a stolen SUV, which was to be the get-a-way vehicle in an armed robbery, how in the world wouldn't there be charges against her???

Keith B wrote:She could have been forced to drive him there are gunpoint in the vehicle, and not know it was stolen; or at least claim that anyway. The only witness that would have said different is not going to be able to dispute it.

seamusTX wrote:

Keith B wrote:She could have been forced to drive him there are gunpoint in the vehicle, and not know it was stolen; or at least claim that anyway. The only witness that would have said different is not going to be able to dispute it.

Telephone records can clear up that kind of confusion.

- Jim

Keith B wrote:Even if she knew the individual and they talked multiple times a day, she can still claim she didn't know the vehicle was stolen, or that the guy was gonna try to rob someone. She did call the police, so the only record that might mean something is the recording to 911.

seamusTX wrote:The cops are good at getting to the bottom of this kind of thing when they want to.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:

Keith B wrote:Even if she knew the individual and they talked multiple times a day, she can still claim she didn't know the vehicle was stolen, or that the guy was gonna try to rob someone. She did call the police, so the only record that might mean something is the recording to 911.

We don't know enough to do more than speculate. Maybe they lived together. Maybe there's a meth lab in their house. Maybe she's on parole or probation. Maybe she's a nervous talker.

The cops are good at getting to the bottom of this kind of thing when they want to.

- Jim